Moistening device



F. P. REED AND 0. NELSON.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4. 1921.

1,4133,@360 Patented; Oct. 24, 1922.

l INVENTOR FE/Peed BY C/are Nelson ATTORNEY Patented @ct. 224, 1222.

FREDERIG PAYSON REED, 015 EAST GRANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND CLARE NELSON, 6F

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ORGUTT.

ASSIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 CHARLE G.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

Application filed October 4;, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERIO Parson Rnnn and CLARE NELSON, both citizens of the United States, and residing at East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, and Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moistening Devices; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention is an improvement in moistening devices, and relates particularly to a device for applying a film of water to the paper or the like, prior to the coloring of the paper, in the manner set forth in applications, renewal Serial No. 441,675, filed February 1, 1921 and renewal Serial No. 436,388, filed January 6, 1921. In application, Serial No. 443,007 filed February 7, 1921, is shown and described a device for applying a film of moisture to a moving strip of paper, wherein the feed of the moistening liquid is controlled primarily by the pressure on the liquid in the reservoir, and secondarily by pressure on the wiper, whereby its porosity is increased or diminished.

Some experimentation is required to determine these pressures for a selected grade of paper, and should there occur a stretch of paper having a greater or less porosity than the average grade, or a stretch having a variation in glaze, the ascertained pressures must be changed, or such stretch of paper must be permitted to pass to the coloring mechanism improperly moistened. No means is provided in the said device for permitting the amount of moisture deposited on the stretch to be varied from moment to moment, throughout the width of the stretch being treated.

Nor is it possible to so exactly control the amount of liquid in the reservoir, such that there will be a constant level and a constant pressure irrespective of the amount feeding to the reservoir. When the flow to the reservoir is not uniform, there will be variations in pressure within the reservoir, and consequent variations in the flow through the wlper. While the variations are of a Serial No. 505,370.

minor nature, and in the usual makes of paper negligible, in other makes they are of moment.

In the present invention, means is provided for permitting the flow from the wiper to the paper to be varied at will, and from moment to moment, without interference with the pressure on the wiper, and without changing the pressure on the liquid in the reservolr.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a partial sideelevation of a paper coloring machine provided with the improved moistener,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the moistener,

Figure 3 is a front view of the moistener.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a paper coloring machine comprising a suitable frame 1 supporting a plate 2 over which the web 3 of paper to be colored passes. Devices are provided for spattering color on the pa per, and prior to the spattering, the paper is moistened, the moistening taking place as the web passes from the reel over a drum 5 to the plate 2.

The improved moistening device comprises a reservoir 6 of suitable size, and square in cross-section in the present instance, and the said reservoir has journal pins 7 and 8 which are journaled in suitable bearings 9 on the frame. The front wall 10 of the tank is reinforced, as shown in Figure 2, and the said wall has near the bottom of the reservoir a slot or passage 11, in which is arranged a wiper 12 of suitable porous material, as forinstance felt. The wiper extends through the passage 11, the outer edge of the wiper lying upon the web 3 as it travels from the drum 5 to the plate 2, and the inner edge lies upon the bottom of the reservoir. The said inner edge is weighted by a rod 13, arranged within a hem on the wiper.

The flow of moistening liquid through the wiper is varied by means of pressure plates 14, a number of which are provided at the upper edge of the passage 11. These plates 14 are adjustable, toward and from a fixed plate 15 arranged below the passage, and the wiper passes between the plate 15 and the plates 14. The plates 14 are movaor reservoir, by means of bolts 16.

tank The bolts have their heads countersunk in the rear face of the reinforce, and pass through vertical slots in the pressure plates. Each bolt is engaged by a wing nut 17. It will be obvious that when the nuts are tightened the plates are held from m'ovement. Packings or gaskets 18 and 19 are provided at the pressure plates the packingl8 being arranged between the plates and the tank wall, while the packing 19 is between the plates and the wiper. The packlngs are of rubber or of like suitable material, and the pressure plates are adjusted, toward and from the wiper, by means of headed screws 20. The screws are journaled in an angle plate 21 secured to the wall 10 of the reservoir, and each is threaded through a bar 22 supported below the angle bar. Each screw is rotatabl connected with the adjacent pressure p ate, and it will be evident that when the screw is rotated, the pressure plate connected thereto will be raised or lowered. By means of these plates the flow through any part of the wiper may be varied, in accordance with conditions.

Liquid, as for instance water, is supplied to the tank or reservoir from a pipe 23, connected with a suitable source of supply, as for instance a watermain. The pipe has a lateral discharge pipe 24 at its upper end, and a plurality of valved discharge nozzles 25 lead from the pipe 24:. The nozzles discharge into a tank 26, supported above and in rear of the reservoir, by means of angle brackets 27. Referring to Figure 2 it will be noticed that the end walls of the tank gradually decrease in height from the discharge nozzles 25, and that the outer side wall 28 of the tank is of less height than the op osite side wall. The water from the tank ischarges over this wall, and over an inclined deflector 'or hood 29. An opening 30 is provided in the upper wall of the reservoir, and the water flowing over the deflector 29 passes through this opening into the reservoir.

. The flow throu h the ipe 23 is controlled by a rotatable va ve 31, aving a radial arm 32, which isconnected by a l1nk33, with a radial arm 34on the journal pin 7 of the reservoir. The arrangement is such that when the reservoir is swun into inoperative position, the valve 31 will e closed, to shut ofi the flow of water through the pipe 23. As the reservoir swings from the osition of Figure 2 toward inoperative position, the valve gradually closes, so that each change in position of the reservoir makes a corresponding change in the amount of water flowing to the reservoir. The reservoir is moved by means of a hand wheel 35 which is secured to the journal pin 8, and it is held from movement toward operative posibly held on the front wall 11 ofthe tion, by means of a awl 36 on the frame, engaging a ratchet w eel 37 on the journal P The operation of the devlce 1s as follows The flow through the wiper is adjusted in accordance with the character of the paper bein operated on, so that when the bottom of t e tank is horizontal, there will be the proper flow of moisture through the wiper. bhould now there occur a section of paper more or less porous than the average, the reservoir may be swung with a greater or less extent of the wiper to engage the paper. It will be obvious that the amount of moisture received by the paper will vary with the extent of engagement between the wiper and paper. When the reservoir is swung sufficiently far toward inoperative position, the valve 31 will be closed. This occurs when the reservoir is swung far enough to move the wiper entirel .out of engagement with the paper. The ow into the tank 26 may be adjusted by means of the valved nozzles 25, so that there will be the proper amount of flow over the hood to maintain a a constant level in the reservoir. The reservoir is moved by means of a hand wheel, and the pawl and ratchet mechanism holds it in adjusted position.

We claim 1. In a moistening device for a moving strip of paper, the combination with a reservoir, and the wiper of absorbent material dripping therein and contacting with the paper, and means moving the wiper to vary the width of wiper contacting with the paper thereby to vary the feed of moisture to the paper.

2. In a moistening device for a moving strip of paper, the combination with a reservoir, and the wiper of absorbent material dipping therein and contacting with the paper, means for varying the porosity of the wiper at any selected point in its length, and means for varying the extent of contact be tween the wiper and the paper.

3. In a moistening device for a moving strip of paper, the combination with the reservoir, and the wiper of absorbent material dip ping therein and contacting with the paper, means for varying the extent of contact between the wiper and the paper, and means for varying the flow of liquid to the reservoir in accordance with the extent of contact bet-ween the paper and the wiper.

4:. In a moistening device for a moving strip of paper, the combination with the reservoir, and the wiper of absorbent material dipp-ing therein and contacting with the paper, means for varying the porosity of the wiper at any selected point in its length, means for varying the extent of contact between the wiper and the paper, and means for varying the fiow of liquid to the reservoir in accordance with the extent of contact between thepaper and the wiper.

5. In a moistening device, a reservoir for moistening liquid, and a wiper of absorbent material dipping therein and contacting with the paper, means. for feeding nioistening liquid to the reservoir, means for moving the reservoir to vary the extent of contact between the wiper and the paper, and means controlled by such movement of the reservoir for regulating the liquid supply in accordance with the position of the reservoir.

6. In a moistening device, a remrvo-ir having a longitudinally extending slot, a wiper of absorbent material held at one edge in the slot and adapted to contact at the other with a moving strip of paper to moisten the said strip, means for compressing the wiper at an point in its length whereby to diminish the porosity of the Wiper, and means for varying the extent of contact the paper. I v v a 7. In a moistening device, a reservoir having a longitudinally extendingslot, a wiper of absorbent material held at one edge in the slot and adapted to contact at the other with a moving strip of paper to moisten the said strip, means for compressing the wiper". at any point in its length whereby to diminish the porosity of the wiper, means for vabetween the wiper and irying the extent of contact between the wiper and the paper, means for feeding liquid to the reservoir, and means controlled by the means for varying the extent of contact between the wiper and the strip for controlling the said feed.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

FRED-ERIC PAYSON REED. CLARE NELSON. 

